United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 181 individuals involved in various crimes during a special operation in the capital in 24 hours till 11:59 pm on Tuesday. Among those arrested were 11 robbers, 33 professional hijackers, five extortionists, nine thieves, 31 drug dealers, 27 wanted criminals, and others involved in various illegal activities, said Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of DMP, in a media release on Wednesday. During the operation, authorities recovered three knives, one machete, five mobile phones, Tk 8,080 in cash, and several locally made weapons. Besides, law enforcement seized 4.93 kg of marijuana, 3,236 yaba tablets, and five bottles of foreign liquor. Banned BCL leader arrested for offensive remarks on Prophet (PBUH) A total of 78 cases were filed at different police stations under DMP within the 24-hour period. To ensure public safety, 667 patrol teams carried out duties in two shifts across 50 police stations in Dhaka. Of these, 340 teams operated at night, while 327 teams worked during the day. Moreover, 71 police checkpoints were set up at key locations throughout the metropolis to enhance security. In addition to the DMP’s patrol teams, 14 CTTC teams, 12 Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) teams, and 10 RAB teams collaborated with the DMP at various crime-prone areas. Member of teen gang held in Dhaka’s Pallabi Specialised police units such as the APBN also set up 20 additional checkpoints, contributing to the effort to maintain law and order. DMP remains committed to ensuring the security and smooth movement of the people of Dhaka Metropolitan City.

Police arrested a leader of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League on Wednesday in a case field for making derogatory remarks about Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) on Facebook. The arrestee was Supta Saha Anik, vice-president of the Fazlul Haque Hall unit of the Rajshahi University Chhatra League, said Netrokona Police Superintendent Mirza Sayem Mahmud. District Detective Branch (DB) of Police arrested Anik from Hossainpur inter-district bus stand, said the SP. Anisul, Shajahan, 7 others shown arrested in July uprising cases Anik had posted insulting comments about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on Facebook on multiple occasions. In response, Abdur Rahim, a resident of Borobazar in Netrokona, filed a case against him at the Sadar Police Station. Furthermore, Muslims in the district staged protests and issued an ultimatum demanding Anik’s arrest. ACC sues ex-minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, wife for unaccounted wealth Acting on the unrest, the police arrested Anik and brought him to the District Superintendent of Police's office for further proceedings, added the SP.

Former ministers Anisul Huq and Shajahan Khan and seven others were shown arrested on Wednesday in cases filed over murder and attempted murder during the anti-discrimination student movement in July. The cases were filed at various police stations across the capital. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam’s court granted the petition to show them arrested in the cases. The other individuals include former LGRD minister Md Tazul Islam, former state minister for industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder, former mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation Atiqul Islam, former Dhaka-7 MP Solaiman Selim, journalist couple Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed, and former officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hossain. Anisul, Mamun remanded again, Salman, 8 others shown arrested in new cases According to the case details, Anisul Huq, Shajahan Khan and Atiqul Islam have been shown arrested in separate murder cases filed at Jatrabari Police Station. Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed have been implicated in two murder cases. Md Tazul Islam have been shown arrested in an attempted murder case at Khilgaon Police Station and a murder case at Paltan Police Station. Kamal Ahmed Majumder has been implicated in a murder case at Mirpur Police Station, while former MP Solaiman Selim have been shown arrested in a murder case filed at Lalbagh Police Station. Besides, former Jatrabari OC Abul Hossain has been shown arrested in two murder cases and an attempted murder case filed at the same police station.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed a case against former Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi and his wife Hasina Gazi on charges of acquiring assets outside known sources of income. Two cases were filed against them, Director General Akhter Hossain said at the ACC's head office in Segunbagicha in the capital. He said that suspicious transactions worth TK 257.75 crore have been found in six bank accounts of Gazi. The ACC also said it has received information about Gazi's assets worth TK 448 crore . Of this, TK 23.51 crore is known assets outside known sources of income. Akhter also said that a case has been filed against his wife Hasina Gazi on charges of acquiring assets worth TK 9.70 crore without known sources of income. Suspicious transactions worth TK 31.69 crore have been found in five bank accounts of her, he said.

Three people were detained in connection with the attempt to loot valuables from a house in Gulshan area of Dhaka on Tuesday night, Chief Adviser's press wing  said in a Facebook post. The detainees are Jewel Khandarkar, 48, his son Shakil Khandakar, 24, and another Shakil Ahmed, 28. A group of 20 to 25 people entered the house of the ex-wife of Tanvir Imam, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political adviser HT Imam, on Tuesday night hearing that huge amount of illegal money, arms and collaborators of the Awami League had been kept in the house.    They vandalised the house  and tried to loot valuables in the name of search, according to the post. Responding to a call from the national emergency-999, army members, deputy commissioner of Gulshan Zone of police, officer-in-charge of Gulshan police station rushed to the spot and detained the trio from the house. In primary investigation it was revealed that Shakil Ahmed once worked as caretaker at the house and he provoked people to enter the house spreading rumor that that they could get Tk200-300 crore in the house. Member of teen gang held in Dhaka’s Pallabi Earlier on Monday around 10:30pm, a group of people also tried to enter the house on the same excuse but failed as police sent them back from there. The Ministry of Home warned all not to take the law into their own hands and inform the nearest police station if any crime occurs anywhere. The government is trying to maintain law and order in the country and is determined to ensure safety of lives and property.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested a member of infamous teen gang ‘Bhaira Dey Group’ from Pallabi area in Dhaka on Tuesday night. The arrestee is Md Rabbi alias Kana Rabbi. A media release sent from the Rab headquarters said a team of the Rab-4 conducted a drive in the Pallabi area and arrested him. Trader killed in alleged teen gang attack in Savar The gang has been involved in extortion, mugging, clash, drug peddling, eve-teasing and anti-social activities, it reads. Drives against teen gangs will continue, it added.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized smuggled Indian goods from Benapole border in Jashore on Monday. Lt. Col Saifullah Siddique of the BGB-49 Battalion in Jashore said they conducted drives in different areas along Benapole border on Tuesday night after being-tipped off that smuggled Indian goods, including saree, motor parts, and cosmetics, would enter Bangladesh through the border. BGB seizes 18 gold bars in Chuadanga The seized goods worth Tk 1.05 crore were handed over to the Benapole Customs, he said. The BGB official said the smugglers prefer borders to bring goods to evade tax. Such drive against smuggling will continue, he said.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has started an investigation against Mohammadpur's Sadeeq Agro owner, Mohammad Imran Hossain, for illegal import of prohibited Brahman cattle and money laundering activities involving Tk 133 crore. Despite the Brahman cattle being banned under Bangladesh's Animal Resource Act, Imran Hossain allegedly imported and sold the cattle during the previous government, a matter that had been discussed multiple times but no action was taken. Additional DIG (Organised Crime unit) of CID Ekramul Habib came up with the remarks on Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at its Malibagh headquarters in the capital Dhaka. A team of CID on Monday arrested chairman of Sadeeq Agro Imran Hossain from Malibagh area in connection with a Tk 133 crore money laundering case. Earlier in the morning, CID filed a case with Mohammadpur Police station accusing Imran Hossain and his associate Touhidul Alam Zenith under the Money Laundering Act. Sadeeq Agro chairman sent to jail in money laundering case He said that Imran Hossain and his associate Touhidul Alam Zenith (45) used to import unauthorized cattle from Thailand and Myanmar by smuggling, cheating and forgery through the Cox’s Bazar region and neighboring areas of Teknaf and Ukhiya. Additionally, they allegedly smuggled smaller Bhutanese cattle into Bangladesh and sold them under fraudulent claims as purebred animals at high prices, he added. He further said that Dhaka Customs House detained 15 Brahman cows of arrested Imran and kept those at the Central Cow Breeding and Dairy Farm, Savar as per the government instructions. Imran was asked to sell the meat at a fair price after slaughtering them but he fraudulently showed them slaughtered on the papers and fraudulently took away the cows. Besides, during investigation it was found that he opened an FDR of Tk 121.32 lakh in the name of importing Brahman cattle, invested it in the name of Jalalabad Metal Limited, a company owned by him, and converted it into laundered assets. Arrested Imran used to conduct his illegal business activities by filling and forcibly occupying the Ramchandrapur government canal in the Beribandh area of Mohammadpur Police Station, Dhaka. Imran was sent to jail in a money laundering case.

The administration set the price of loose edible oil at different levels in Chattogram from importers to retail sellers in a decision at a special task force meeting on Tuesday. As per the decision, importers will sell loose soybean oil at Tk 153 per litre, traders at Tk 155, and retailers at a maximum of Tk 160 per litre. This pricing will be effective from Tuesday until April 10. The meeting held at the Chattogram Circuit house, aimed to stabilise the prices of essential commodities during Ramadan. The special task force committee warned that strict action will be taken against any seller who charges more than the fixed price. Business representatives present at the meeting agreed to the set pricing. Consumers suffer as soybean oil crisis still persists in Dhaka Chattogram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farida Khanam presided over the meeting, while Chattogram City Mayor Shahadat Hossain attended as the chief guest. Farida Khanam said, “There is currently a shortage of edible oil in the market. To resolve this, discussions have been held with all stakeholders. According to the decision, retailers cannot sell loose soybean oil for more than Tk 160 per litre, although they may sell at a lower price if they wish. However, no one is allowed to charge above the fixed price. Any trader violating this decision, whether in wholesale or retail, will face legal action through the special task force committee, she added. Speaking at the meeting, Mayor Shahadat Hossain mentioned some other Muslim countries where governments provide subsidies on essential commodities during Ramadan to ensure affordability. He said that a handful of unscrupulous traders cause sudden price hikes in Bangladesh and due to these dishonest practices, essential commodity prices surge ahead of Ramadan. “Therefore, a fixed price has been set for edible oil, and any violation will result in strict legal action. Besides the district administration, Chattogram City Corporation will also monitor the market,” he added. Earlier on Monday, Mayor Shahadat Hossain and DC Farida Khanam visited Khatunganj, the country’s largest wholesale market, following reports of a supply crisis of bottled soybean oil. During the visit, they found evidence of an artificial shortage of edible oil, prompting a meeting with producers, importers, and wholesalers to address the issue.

An amount of Tk 8.10 lakh was robbed after breaking open a vault of an agent bank under Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) PLC in Mehepur’s Gangni upazila on Monday night. Police said the robbers cut open window grills of the bank and robbed the amount some time on Monday night. The bank is situated on the third floor of Nazrul Tower near Bamandi Bus Stand. Agent bank manager Hamidur Rahman Kajal said they kept Tk 8.10 lakh in the vault after completing work on Monday afternoon. 2 more arrested in case over rape and robbery on a moving bus in Rajshahi At 9am on Tuesday, he said, they found the window grills cut, the vault broken and the money missing. The robbers also took away the DVR of the CCTV camera, he added. Meanwhile, additional superintendent of police Abdul Karim and others inspected the scene. He said they collected samples from the agent bank which lacked security measures.